Friday, June 02, 2006

Everyone had jobs to do. Mine were variously... laying the fire - first chop the sticks and fill the coal scuttle - remember to sweep up afterwards.... cleaning the family's shoes. Granny's are the lumpy ones with room for her corns and they have to be brushed with a wire brush. I loved to clean the red shoes with slimy paint from a tube.

...and collecting littlest sister from nursery school and running for the bus. That's my best scab on the back of my leg. I kept it going for a whole year, digging at it with my compass or fountain pen. It was something to do when school was too boring and my nails were already bitten past the quick.("Don't get your foot stuck in a grating", Dad used to say as we were going out.)

Fantastic as usual. I've had a bit of a go at a memory painting, but it is soooo hard. I love your perspectives on each and everyone of these memory paintings, and it is that part I'm having difficulty with - what point of view to draw from. Thanks again for the inspiration - I'll keep trying.

Alison

My illustrated childhood memoir

About my 'memory paintings'.

Inspired by Neil Curtis in his book, 'The Memory Book', my memory paintings catch impressions and moments from my first ten years, in St Andrews, Scotland in the 60's. They are all 12 x 9 cm, mostly pen and watercolour, on Arches HP. They are now published in an 8" x 10" book through Blurb.